Brown Eyed Girl
by SteneMichele
Summary: Renesme and Jacob are happily married, but now the Cullen family has been turned upside-down. Nessie is pregnant, and if her birth was unique, then this baby is one of a kind.
1. The Confession

Renesme's POV:

It was nearing Twilight by the time Jacob and I arrived home. I could feel the exceptional heat radiating off of his body, something that always happened when he was nervous. I glanced up at him consolingly, stroking his palm with my thumb.

"You're fine," I reassured him, standing up on my tip toes. Jake, realizing what I wanted, leaned down to return my kiss. Simultaneously, we both let out a heavy sigh.

"It's time," he muttered seriously. Poor Jake. I was always grateful that my parents loved him. It made everything much easier. My mother had been pretty close with him a long time ago, and my father trusted him with my life. This shouldn't be as difficult as we were making it out to be. After all, it wasn't as if I was confessing to murder.

Grumbling, Jake led me into the small, cozy living room. His arm was wound protectively around my waist.

"Relax," I hissed into his ear, "Be glad Rosalie isn't here." It wasn't as much of a coincidence as I claimed. I had only agreed to do this knowing that the whole family besides my parents would be hunting this weekend.

"Actually, Rose would love this," Jake muttered, "It's her thing." I furrowed my brow, completely bemused. "Edward," Jake said, barely audibly. My father heard; it wasn't a very large house.

Edward Cullen was in the doorway at once, his hand pulling my mother along. My mother had not been able to keep up with my father lately. Though she was still exceptionally strong and fast like other vampires, her newborn muscles had diminished significantly in the past year.

"Oh, good Jake," Bella said, happy to see my husband in the doorway, "Alice just called. She meant to tell you that she saw Quil. He's getting married!" Jake could only nod, feigning a smile. He was staring at Edward, his eyes wary. My father was staring at us in horror.

"Um, that's great!" I squeaked, my voice wavering as I spoke, "We have news as well." Bella's eyes narrowed, staring at our entwined hands.

"Take a seat, Jacob," Edward muttered quietly, gesturing towards the couch. I was trying to read my father's expression. Obviously, he already knew what the big news was. Unless Jake had found something distracting enough to keep it from his mind. But by the look in my father's eyes, I could tell that he knew everything.

"Actually," Jake replied, refusing to sit, "I think I'll have Nessie explain." I inhaled sharply, glaring up at him.

"He already knows," Jake hissed into my ear, "Your mother will take it better from you."

"Take _what _better?" Bella snapped, always on her toes, "Jacob, is everybody safe?" Jake sighed and nodded, rocking on his heels and staring at the ceiling.

"It's good news, actually," I whispered meekly, "We're expect- um... I'm pregnant." As soon as I let the word out, my face turned red. My mother's probably would have too if it could. Jake slid his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer and laughing. He was the only person that would laugh in a situation like this, where my father looked close to tearing his head off.

"Pregnant," Bella said simply, her eyes on my face. Edward's eyes were focused on Jacob's, clearly trying to understand _how _exactly this had happened. I blushed at the thought.

"Well, it's not like it was when... when you were pregnant with me, Mom," I blurted out, desperate to break the silence, "It's safe. Really, really normal." My father's eyes widened and he took one step forward.

"Normal!" he exclaimed, probably shaking trees in the forest, "Nessie, you are anything but normal! If this- this baby _lives_, it will be ¼ vampire, ¼ human and ½ werewolf! Or- or shape shifter, or whatever the hell he is!" I closed my fist tighter around Jacob's sweltering wrist.

"And me! I'm half-vampire and half-human!" I shrieked, suddenly angry, "That's not fair! _She _wasn't exactly the healthiest pregnant woman!" My finger was shaking as it pointed at my mother, who was frozen at my father's side.

"Edward, you know I wouldn't let anything happen to her," Jake said solemnly, and I could tell by my father's expression that he completely believed that, "But she wants this baby. She wants it like Bella wanted her. You remember..." Edward closed his eyes at the memory.

"I won't stand for it," he whispered, "It's not a healthy thing. Our kind... we're not supposed to reproduce. It goes against nature. If it was that _easy _to do, then why do you think the Volturi came last time?" Jacob shook his head like a dog who had just taken a bath.

"The Volturi have nothing to do with this," he snapped, "If it did come down to that, then we could take them. God knows Emmett's been itching for a fight. You have the whole support of my pack, and we've doubled in size. Of course, we won't let it come to that, but it's an option. And if Bella hadn't gone through with it last time..." Jake shuddered at the thought, pulling me closer to him.

"I'm tired," I pointed out, "We'll wait until Carlisle returns. He'll have plenty to say." Edward glanced at Bella anxiously, daring her to pick a side. I knew that if it came down to my mother's vote, she'd side with my father. But that didn't matter. I was having the child regardless. All we had to do now was wait.


	2. The Truth

Rosalie and Emmett came home first. Carlisle underestimated his self-control, and he was scheduled to perform a heart transplant later this week, so he wanted to be additionally strong. Naturally, Esme waited with him. Jasper and Alice had met some older friends named Peter and Charlotte while hunting in the Andes, so they would be home in a couple of days.

"I'm sorry, what?" Rosalie snapped. I smiled at her, playing with my fingers.

"You heard me," I replied teasingly. Rose's bemused expression immediately uplifted, her newly-golden eyes brimming with excitement.

"Oh, Ness!" she shrieked, her beautiful voice vibrating the floor that I stood on, "When did you find out? You should have told me sooner!" I blushed, glancing down at my feet.

"It's only been a couple of days," I explained, "And we were procrastinating telling my parents." Rose frowned immediately.

"Your- your parents?" she muttered, "Surely you told them." I nodded fervently.

"Of course, of course," I confirmed, "But you know my father…" Rose and I rolled our eyes in unison.

"He was horrified," Rose sighed, staring into my brown eyes with pity, "But don't judge him too harshly. He almost lost your mother in childbirth."

I had not heard much about my birth, except that it had been the event leading up to my mother's transformation. Knowing Carlisle and Edward's strict guidelines for transformations, my mother must have come within inches of death. But I had never heard the details, and I was intrigued.

"Rosalie?" I began innocently, "Would you tell me… exactly what happened? Without all the filtering and editing?" Rose's beautiful face became hesitant. I pouted my lower lip in a way that always worked with Jake. "Please? It's not fair that nobody will tell me. I have the right to know." Rose shrugged.

"Ness, I know you have the right to know," she whispered sympathetically, "But that was… that was a decade ago. There was a lot of turmoil then. The Volturi…" I nodded quickly. The Volturi's confrontation was something that I had heard about, and I almost _remembered_ it.

"Yes, but if you just tell me," I whispered pleadingly, "Just let me know, and there's no harm done." Rosalie sighed and glanced up at the ceiling.

"Well, it's not that simple, really," she began tentatively, "Our family and the pack were not exactly part of the alliance that we are now." I considered this, trying to imagine a world without the loyalty of our werewolf friends. Jake was such a part of my life that I couldn't picture it. "We were… joined together by a common enemy, and that was the extent of our comradeship. Your husband and father were rivals back then." I let out an unwilling laugh.

"But what were they fighting over?" I demanded. Edward loved Jake like a brother, like a son even. Rosalie stood up briskly.

"That's it for today," she said abruptly, "The rest is better kept secret." I rushed in front of her, blocking the doorway.

"You're kidding," I hissed dangerously, "You can't tell me _that _without finishing." Rose laughed maniacally.

"Maybe Jacob or your mother should finish _that _story," she replied thoughtfully, "It's not exactly a bedtime tale." I slapped her lightly, knowing that I could punch her with all my strength and not inconvenience her in the slightest.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale," I whispered dangerously, "Why should I ask _them_?" Rose, though not perturbed by my lighthearted slap, was suddenly livid with anger. She was remembering a past that I had no knowledge of. I could see the determination in her eyes, and then she made her decision.

"Now, I've always argued that they should tell you," she informed me, "But I think we're safer if we talk somewhere else." I blinked stupidly at her, knowing that no matter what my father would find out. But Rosalie, however superficial, was my godmother and she was wiser than anybody gave her credit for. Besides, I couldn't turn down the offer to learn the secrets of my past.

"The woods," I said simply, and in a split-second we were flying across the field. I could run five times as fast as most humans, but not as fast as vampires. I clung to Rosalie's hand, running but at the same time letting her pull me along. In less than a minute, we were standing in the shade of a willow tree. She stood a couple of feet away from me, not letting me see her face. I was slightly out of breath.

"Renesme," Rose muttered, and I knew this was serious because she rarely used my full name, "You are the best thing that has happened to Jacob Black. You are his life, the way your mother is Edward's. The way Emmett is mine. I just need you to understand that before I continue." I knew this. Jake told me everyday. Five times everyday. But Jake's love for me in _that _way was only a recent thing. I didn't understand what it had to do with my birth.

"When your mother was still a human," Rosalie continued, "Your father was afraid of putting her in harm's way. He left her for four months under the impression that she would be able to move on and to live a normal human life. That, may I add, was the most idiotic thing that your father has ever done."  
"It sounds stupid," I agreed instantly. The idea was odd- _my father without my mother?_ They revolved around each other.

"Anyway," Rosalie continued, "Your mother befriended Jake Black. He was a year or two younger, nothing big. He helped her when she needed it most. And those wounds didn't heal easily, but he managed to bandage them for a while." I listened thoughtlessly, simply letting her words twist around in my mind and form a story. "Your mother, though temporarily healed, was never the same person she was when Edward was there. She, with recreational intentions, jumped off a cliff." I could hear Rose's voice wavering as she said this. I could tell that this was where she had fit into the story.

"I was an idiot," she reflected, "I heard what Alice saw… I was selfish. Nessie, you have to promise not to think any less of me." I nodded fervently. It was impossible to be upset with somebody like Rosalie. "I told Edward what had happened. Only I switched it around. Nessie, I told him that Bella had killed herself." I froze in place, my blood turning ten degrees cooler. I could only imagine the suffering that she had subjected my father to. Rose sensed my sudden discomfort and stopped talking.

"Go on," I hissed through gritted teeth. The story had a happy ending. I know it did. Rose took a deep breath for my sake only and resumed her monologue.

"He was in Italy that night, begging for the Volturi to kill him. They denied him, and so he went to extremes. He was going to reveal himself in the sunlight in the middle of a festival. He thought that this would provoke the Volturi enough to grant him his final wish. Naturally, Alice was on top of thing. She and Bella were already on a plane. Bella saved your father, and they returned home." But that was a happier ending than I had imagined. And quite anti-climatic. She was still hiding something.

"But what does Jake have to do with this?" I asked stubbornly. Rose shook her head.

"I'm not finished," she replied, slightly anxious, "You know the story of Laurent, James and Victoria? Of course you do. Well, Victoria had some obsession with avenging the first two, especially James. Naturally, she was hunting Bella. Only this time, she had an army of newborns. A battle broke out, only your parents were not fighting. Of course, your mother was still human and she had persuaded your father to stay with her. The fight was deadly, and Bella managed to influence Jacob Black to stay with her, too. Keep in mind, they were great friends. There was always a rivalry between Jake and Edward over your mother. At first it was purely a testosterone-fueled feud, but it became serious. Jake… Nessie, he loves you. He always has. But, he loved somebody else first. No where near as much as he loves you." My heart was pounding quickly, desperate for her to blurt it out. Maybe if she said it in one blunt sentence, it would sound humorous enough for me to laugh at.

"Who did he love?" I whispered sheepishly. I knew the answer. I had known it all along.

"Nessie, he loved your mother."


	3. The Anger

The words were all wrong in that order. The words were all wrong in _any _order. This must be some cruel joke. Rose had finally gotten bored with her never-ending life and had decided to make mine miserable.

"He didn't," I whispered, letting my voice waver. How lucky Rose was that she couldn't cry. There was nothing that I hated more than crying. I always had, and of course I was the only Cullen that _could _shed tears.

"A decade ago," Rose pointed out, "And your mother chose Edward." I didn't know what was more shocking, my mother's other love or Jake's other love. As soon as I pictured his face, I decided on the later.

"But what if she hadn't?" I asked in horror, "What if she had picked... _him_?" How different my life would be... How _non-existent _my life would be.

"But he _didn't_, Renesme," Rose mentioned desperately; she clearly regretted telling me this, "She chose him, and he chose you." I shook my head fervently.

"No," I whispered stubbornly, "He chose her. I was the back-up option." Every thing that Jacob had said had been a lie. Sure, he had imprinted. But did that mean anything? I was his because of science. My mother was his because of destiny.

"I know what you're thinking, Nessie," Rose snapped, "And it's ridiculous. He loves you more than he loved her. He loves you more than anybody has ever loved anybody." I shuddered in anger, and for once it was my turn to make the forest shake. I spun around to see Rose's horrified face. She had underestimated my reaction, and my strength.

"I was a fetus," I hissed, "And he loved _her_. I bet she loved _him_, too." Rosalie closed her eyes in frustration, but I didn't care. All that mattered was running home and knocking down my parent's cottage. They had such a perfect life, and mine only existed because of somebody that had loved _my mother_ first! I had to destroy something...

"Calm down," Rosalie cautioned, "If your mother was Jake's soulmate, then you wouldn't be here. Everything is exactly how it is supposed to be. You're with Jacob Black. The world is perfect." Her words echoed around the silent forest. Was she naive enough to believe that? I needed to find him. I needed to grab that monster by the throat and demand the truth. He didn't love me; he never had. He probably never would. He had overcome the power of imprinting. He was only with me to make my mother happy. _My life was a lie._

"Renesme Carlie Cullen," Rosalie whispered, and I collapsed onto a tree stump, "Of three things I am absolutely positive. Your mother loves Edward. Jacob loves you. Everything worked out how it was supposed to work." I felt like slapping her again. She was stronger than me, but I had more reason to fight. Her life had never been at jeopardy. She had Emmett. Alice had Jasper. Esme had Carlisle. Bella had Edward. And Renesme had a werewolf that had loved somebody else first. Everything had worked out? For _them _maybe.

For the first time, I felt like a full-blooded vampire. I wanted to hurt something. I wanted to feel the rush of blood through my veins. I wanted to see the look of horror on Jacob Black's face when he realized that I was stronger than him.

But what made me the angriest was the fact that I _didn't _want to hurt him. I _didn't _want to grab his throat and demand the truth. I wanted to hold him and tell him that I loved him the most.


	4. The Kiss

"It's healthy," Carlisle informed me, his topaz eyes shining with excitement, "I can tell just by looking at you." I blinked in bemusement. He had just arrived two seconds ago. Nobody had told him anything. Did I _look _pregnant? I was pretty sure that I was getting bigger, but not completely recognizably yet. It had barely been a month!

"Carlisle, I don't know if I want to have this baby," I whispered, grabbing his hand anxiously. Esme cast me an apprehensive look before turning towards her husband.

"Nessie, it's up to you," Carlisle said, crest-fallen, "No one can tell you what to do. But you have to tell us what happened." I furrowed my brow.

"What happened?" I asked, deciding that it was better to feign innocence. Esme took my hand and bit her lip.

"Nessie, what did they tell you?" she inquired, completely bewildered. I pulled my hand away and glanced towards the cottage. I could see the silhouettes of my parents in the living room. They were talking with Jasper and Alice.

"Nothing that I didn't already know," I lied. Or maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe I _had _known it all along. I just had refused to believe it. Carlisle wound his arm around Esme's waist, staring at me with concern.

"Nessie, they told you everything, didn't they?" he asked calmly. I looked up at him through my eyelashes. The tears were coming back- I could feel it.

"Everything?" I burst out, "Everything? Yes, they told me everything! Jacob Black made out with my mother! Is that what you meant by 'everything'?" The silence that followed lasted a lifetime. Esme's soft golden eyes were wide and shocked, but Carlisle had seen this coming.

"They were only looking out for your best interest, Nessie," he muttered compassionately. I scoffed maniacally.

"Well, naturally it was in my best interest to not know that my husband is madly in love with my mother!" I forced the words out, but they did not flow together correctly. Carlisle shook his head desperately.

"You're wrong, Nessie," he said simply. I blinked, resisting the urge to grab a tree and throw it across the river.

"I'm not wrong!" I shrieked, "Rose told me everything. There's no use denying it!" Carlisle shook his head.

"Nessie, your husband is not madly in love with your mother," he explained patiently, "He _was _in love with your mother. He loved her until he laid eyes on you. Sam Uley loved Leah Clearwater before he met his wife, Emily. And I'm sure that at one point Rose loved Royce King. In her own way, of course. Nessie, people fall in and out of love all the time. For your mother and Alice and all of them, their lives seem so perfect because they have fallen in love with the person that matters the most. Nessie, I never loved anybody before Esme, but most people love in many different ways throughout their lives." He leaned down to kiss Esme's cheek. My breathing was deep, and I had no idea what to say.

"Yes, Carlisle," I began slowly, "People fall in and out of love. But not with people's _mothers_." Carlisle smiled ironically.

"Nessie, you live in a world of the never-aging," he pointed out, "Mothers, fathers- these words only have as much meaning as you place on them. Physically, you are your mother's equivalent." I shook my head.

"But Jake loved her," I choked out, letting one tear escape from my eyes and race down my cheek. Esme leaned over and wiped it away lovingly.

"Jake still loves her, Nessie," Carlisle agreed, "_Like a mother._ Like a best friend. Nessie, your mother's love for Edward eclipsed her love for Jacob. Jacob's love _for you_ eclipsed his love for your mother. You can't blame people for who they fall in love with. It's... it's human nature, and I use the word 'human' lightly." Both he and Esme smiled, but I didn't see the humor in the situation. I was too busy trying to decipher his words.

"Jake didn't imprint on my mother, did he?" I asked, trying to figure out if that was a possibility. Carlisle let out a short laugh.

"No, Nessie," he answered simply, "That never happened. People imprint once in their existence. Jacob Black imprinted on you." Esme reached out and put her cold hand on my cheek.

"Speaking of Jacob Black..." she hinted, her eyes landing somewhere in the forest. I could see the silhouette of a tall man standing next to an evergreen tree, and my heartbeat picked up.

"He loves you," Carlisle whispered into my ear, "Never forget that." And they were gone.

I stood my ground for an eternity. I did not move; I only stared. Jake stared as well, debating whether or not to approach me. Eventually, he took one step towards me, and then studied my reaction. I nodded slowly to let him know that he could continue.

Before I knew it, Jacob Black was standing next to me, but I was facing away. I wasn't going to be the first one to speak. There was nothing to say.

"Renesme," Jake said simply, letting my name hang there in the silence. I closed my eyes as he reached out and put his hand on my cheek, like Esme had a couple of minutes ago. His touch was warmer, however, and it sent shivers down my spine.

"You loved her," I muttered, letting him know that I knew. Jake let his hand drop to his side in defeat. He was silent for a minute, contemplating the situation.

"Yes," he decided, "Very much. No where near enough." I turned around hesitantly, tracing the innocent contours of his face with my eyes.

"But you never told me," I whispered curiously, a hint of anger in my voice. Jake shook his head, looking away into the distance. There was centuries of sadness in his deep brown eyes.

"I would not know what to say," he replied slowly, "There _was _nothing to say. You are mine, Nessie. It has always been like that. I have not thought about your mother- in _that _way- since before you were born." I leaned closer to him, inhaling his warm scent.

"If I hadn't been born," I began, but Jake put his index finger on my mouth.

"Nessie, you live in a world of _ifs _and _buts_," he pointed out, "We are all forever young. You _were _born and that is all that matters." I searched his eyes, and I knew that he was speaking the truth. Why was it that I had the fieriest temper in the world but on the one occasion where I _wanted _to be mad, all that I could do was stare longingly into his eyes?

"You tried to steal her away," I pointed out, and Jacob snorted, shaking his head.

"Yes, and it was the worst thing that I have ever attempted," he reminisced, "You mother could not live without your father. But back then, I was a hormone-driven teenager in love for the first time. What did you expect?" I shook my head anxiously, leaning in further.

"Jacob Black, would you love me if you hadn't imprinted on me?" I demanded. I wasn't sure what the answer was, so all that I could do was wait as he considered this. That did not last long.

"Renesme Carlie Cullen," he began, resting his nose on my forehead, "You are my life. You have been since the moment that I laid eyes on you. It wouldn't matter if I was a werewolf or not- you are the love of my existence. The whole imprinting thing- well, that makes it all rather convenient, don't you think?" He laughed ironically at the end, and even I had to fight a smile.

"Then tell me one thing," I whispered, holding his face between my hands, "What would you have done if my mother had chosen you?" Jake closed his eyes, laying his hands over mine.

"I honestly have no idea," he admitted, "I would have married her, I suppose. But she never would have been as happy as she is with Edward. And I must admit, I never would be as happy as I am with you. I think the moral of _this _story, Nessie, is that it didn't work out like that. It was never supposed to." I closed my eyes as well, breathing in his familiar scent.

"Never supposed to," I breathed, and then the last remaining space between our lips was gone.


	5. The Forgiven

When I woke up, Alice was leaning over me, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Nessie, Carlisle let slip what the baby was!" she hissed enthusiastically, "Do you want to know?" I sat up, pushing her back. Like my mother, I wasn't a fan of surprises.

"Yes," I decided, "Jake and I need to pick some names out anyway." Alice bit her lip, teasing me. I grabbed her stone hand and squeezed it, desperate to know. Alice laughed and easily pulled her hand out of my grip, jumping backwards and off of the bed. For a quarter of a second, she was only a black and white blur around the room. And then, she stopped.

"The baby's a girl!" Alice squealed, suddenly right in front of me. I blinked in shock, imagining the beautiful child. Alice perched herself at the bottom of the bed, staring at me excitedly.

"Are you happy?" she asked. I nodded, completely dazed. Whenever I had imagined the child, it had been a boy. But now all that I could picture was my own little beautiful girl. "Any ideas on names?" I considered this, unsure of what to say. Yes, I had thought up some ideas. None of them seemed fitting now, however.

"I want her to be named after somebody," I explained. Alice closed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Somebody... human?" she inquired. I shrugged.

"Human, vampire," I muttered, "Werewolf, even. It doesn't matter. Somebody who she can aspire to be like." Alice considered this.

"Well, you have plenty of time to think about it," she pointed out, and the thought of time relieved me. I was not ready to be a mother yet.

"Does Jake know?" I asked. Alice cast me a guilty look. I rolled my eyes knowingly.

"He beat it out of me," she joked. I laughed at this; Alice was infinitely faster than Jake. Suddenly, I sensed another presence in the room. I spun around to see my mother perched on the iron bed frame. Her topaz eyes were wary and pleading. I turned back to Alice, ignoring the woman that I had once called 'Mom'.

"Let me guess, Alice," I joked, only this time my voice was strained, "You're planning a baby shower." Alice was staring at my mother, her best friend.

"You caught me," she muttered weakly, trying to laugh. I could feel my mother's gaze burning a hole into the back of my neck, but I ignored it. I had forgiven Jacob, but I was no Mother Theresa.

"This is childish, Nessie," a new voice said. I spun around. Edward was suddenly standing next to Bella, his eyes on mine. I glared at him. If anything, he should be sympathizing with me. He had almost lost my mother to Jacob.

"This is anything but childish," I corrected him, "She made her decisions. I've made mine." I turned to Alice for support, but suddenly I was alone. I closed my eyes in frustration, vowing to give Alice a hard time about the baby shower. I was not completely immature; I stood up and turned around to face my parents.

"What do you want?" I snapped. Bella's expression twisted into a frown. Edward wound his arm around her shoulders.

"Alice said you would be like this," Edward mentioned. I shrugged, rolling my eyes. Some friend she was.

"Nessie, we didn't want to confront you all at once," Bella sighed, "Please forgive me. I should have told you earlier." I let out a short laugh.

"_'Told me'_?" I demanded, "Damn it, it should have never happened." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You don't control who you fall in love with, Renesme," he pointed out. I had no rebuttal to this statement, so I stuck my nose in the air and spun on my heels. I was barely out of the doorway when I felt my mother's cool hand on my shoulder.

"Be angry, Nessie," she whispered consolingly, "You have forever to forgive me." I shook my head exasperatedly and spun around.

"That's your excuse for everything," I snapped, "_Forever. _What does forever mean? I'm half-human. I don't age, but I can die. Jake can, too. It's how things are _supposed to be._" My harsh words had obviously hit a nerve, but I couldn't find it in myself to regret saying them. It was the truth. Chances were, I would never die. After all, I was surrounded by vampires and an overly-protective werewolf ready to take a bullet for me. But my heart beat. It was always beating, and there was always blood rushing through me. Maybe one day the Volturi would overturn the decision that they had made one decade ago. Or maybe I would live until the end of the world. Either way, I was not counting on forgiving my mother any time soon.

"Renesme, you are just as much a vampire as I am," Edward muttered into my ear. I closed my eyes in frustration. For such a smart man, my father was so naive.

"_I_ _sleep_," I began dramatically, "_I breathe. _My eyes are brown, and I'm not as fast as any of them. I'm not as strong-"

"Nessie!" my mother interrupted me, "Those are all _gifts_. You have no idea what I would give to _sleep_. To forget everything for one hour, that would be amazing." I had never heard my mother talk like this. She always put on such a strong face. Never in a million years would I guess that she was vulnerable.

"Don't talk to me," I snapped childishly. My mother recoiled at once. "I have three questions. You will answer them all truthfully before I consider acknowledging your presence ever again." My mother considered these terms for one tenth of a second and then nodded.

"Anything," she replied desperately. I rolled my eyes and turned away from both of them, facing the rose garden.

"When did you stop loving him like _that_?" I asked in a wavering voice.

"The day that I realized that I _did _love him," Bella responded instantly, "That same day I realized that I loved your father infinitely more." I found solace in her honest response, but I had more questions.

"What happened?" I murmured awkwardly, wringing my fingers together. I could hear my mother and father sharing exchanged whispers so low that only they could hear. I grew frustrated, but I remained silent.

"He kissed me," my mother admitted. I gulped. I had expected this; love normally involved kissing. But still, to _hear _it from my mother finalized it.

"Did you kiss him back?" I demanded. My mother was in front of me before I even heard her moving. Her eyes were pleading, and I had to collapse onto the bed as I saw the answer in her eyes. I felt faint.

"Nessie, he tricked me," my mother pointed out, "In my defense, I was only kissing him to keep him away from the battle. If you went back in time and saw me refuse him, and saw him destroyed by some savage newborn vampire then, Nessie, you would have never forgiven me." She spoke the truth, but once again I was crying. I couldn't find it in me to be angry with my mother, so I didn't resist when she pulled me into a tight hug. I collapsed into her arms, letting my shaky sobs send tremors down my body. Edward must have left at some point; he obviously realized that it was a time for a mother and daughter moment.

After 1,509 seconds in my mother's arms, I let out a dry sob.

"I'm having a girl," I blurted out. My mother grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me back to look me in the face.

"Nessie, that's wonderful," she whispered. I nodded.

"It is, isn't it?" I replied. And then I took her hand and traced to smooth contours of her palm. After 532 seconds of silence, I looked her in the eyes and smiled. Her face was like a mirror image as she, too, grinned.

"I am going to name her Irina."


	6. The Argument

My mother let go of me, holding me at arm's length and scrutinizing my face as if doubting my judgment. The little blood that did pump through my veins rushed up to my cheeks in embarrassment, but I tightened my jaw line in a dignified away.

"Nessie, you don't know what you're saying," my mother snapped, shaking her head angrily. I laughed sharply.

"_You _named _me _after somebody that I've never even _met_!" I retorted, trying to picture Rene. Bella grimaced.

"That's different," she said harshly, "She's my mother. And now you want to go naming your unborn child after the _woman that tried to kill you_." I heaved a sigh, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"Well, yes," I began diplomatically, "But, in her defense, she thought I was dangerous." Bella shook her head condescendingly.

"Nessie, even if she _had _thought that you were dangerous," she said critically, "She should have at least verified that fact before involving the Volturi. Do you even remember the Volturi?" I laughed callously, though there was nothing the slightest bit amusing about the old Italian vampires that had visited one decade ago. The Volturi were the very core of my mother's breed. They consisted of the main family, and then their vast guard.

"Of course I do," I snapped. How could I forget them? "Look, I've thought it over a lot. I wasn't going to name her after one of you, because you're both going to live for… for who knows _how _long and it would become confusing. So I went with Irina." My mother pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, letting her dark brown hair fall out of the pile on top of her head.

"Nessie, give me three good reasons _why _we would want your daughter to aspire to be like Irina," she demanded, sighing exasperatedly.

"Easy," I retorted simply, "The first obvious reason is that Irina was a vegetarian vampire. She had will power, and strength of mind. Two admirable traits, don't you think?" My mother scoffed.

"But, Nessie!" my mother complained, "There are other vegetarian vampires out there. What about someone like… like Esme? That's a beautiful name to play off of." My mother was clearly desperate, so I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Well, you've already taken 'Renesme'," I pointed out, "What do you want me to name her? _Esmeralda_?" My mother sighed in defeat, shaking her head in almost amused disappointment. Obviously she was under the impression that my name-choosing abilities had not lived up to her talent of naming children after the Loch Ness Monster.

"So what's your second reason then, Renesme?" Bella prompted me. I leaned back on the bed, putting my hands behind my head in a relaxed position.

"My second reason is that Irina admitted to her mistake," I replied calmly, "Aro was upset with her and she simply said 'I was mistaken.' She had dignity, integrity and courage. Three more inspirable traits, wouldn't you agree?" My mother rolled her eyes at my logic. Before she could protest, I continued, "And thirdly, Irina lost the person that she loved the most- Laurent- at the hands of our family. That was bound to leave some hard feelings, don't you think? She fought for the people she loved. I would want my daughter to be able to do that. And Irina _died_. She made an unfathomable sacrifice for us, and I think that that deserves _something_." Bella obviously did not feel like arguing with such deep matters, so she shook her head and raised her hands to shoulder length as if surrendering.

"She's your child," she muttered, as if she thought that I had lost my mind, "I agree with everything that you said, but you left out some pretty dark parts, too. Think it over, Ness. I don't want you or the child to have to live with some spur-of-the-moment decision for the rest of eternity."

And with that, she was gone. All that I could see was a blur flying across the small creek that divided our house from the Cullen mansion.

Honestly, I wasn't as sure of my decision as I had made it sound. I had done my research, mostly from Alice, and learned as much as I could about the Denali coven. Naming children was difficult business; suddenly, I didn't loathe my mother's decision of naming me 'Renesme' as much as I had in the past. But I couldn't name my ½ werewolf, ¼ vampire, ¼ human baby _Sarah _or _Brittany_. Names like that just didn't work for the most amazing, most unique child that the world had ever encountered.

I did not move as Jake came bounding through the doorway, settling noisily behind me and resting his chin on my shoulder without actually placing any weight on me.

"Was she angry?" he muttered. I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Very," I answered truthfully. Jake tilted his head to the side, kissing me lightly behind the ear in a way that sent tremors down my spine.

"She'll be okay," he muttered, "Just give her time. Eventually she'll realize that you're going to be a mother in a few months' time and that you are capable of making this kind of decision by yourself." My husband's words surprised me; normally he was not the kind of person to make such deep observations.

I turned around to face him, burrowing my face into Jake's neck.

"I hope you're right," I muttered, as he began to rub my back consolingly.

"I am right," Jake whispered into my ear, only half-jokingly. I let out a dry sob into his warm skin.

"Are we doing the right thing, Jake?" I asked desperately. Jake tensed up, grabbing me gently by the shoulders and pulling me away.

"_'__The right thing'_?" he repeated, eyeing me skeptically, "Ness, when you're as unique as you are, there just isn't a fine line between right and wrong. And yet, you always manage to do what's right in the end. Most of us didn't want your mother to have you, but she did anyway. And that made all the difference."

He elevated my jaw delicately and closed the gap between us in a second, allowing me to forget about everything that had haunted me these past few weeks.


	7. The Name

When I woke up the next morning, the house smelled like eggs and bacon. Ever since Jake had moved in, Esme had started cooking meals every time she heard his stomach grumble slightly. She also enjoyed bombarding me with human food, but I was partial to the taste of blood.

"Eggs, Ness?" she asked warily, slightly resigned. I fell into a seat at the kitchen table, shaking my head and looking up at the ceiling.

"No, I'm going hunting with Emmett and Rose tomorrow," I replied. Esme put down her spatula and turned around to face me, a disconcerted look on her face. I ignored her, casually bending the tongs of the fork back so that they formed an intricate pattern.

"Renesme," Esme muttered, forcing me to look up at her through my eyelashes, "You know that I don't like it when you go hunting with them. Especially now in your... current state." Her warm gold eyes fell onto my slightly protruding stomach. I placed my hand on the bump, sighing.

"Carlisle said that nothing could hurt the baby," I objected, "My skin is just as protective as yours, or Emmett's, even. The fetus is protected like any vampire would be." Esme was too kind to argue straight-out with me, so she took a seat across from me and patted my cold hand with her even colder one.

"You're just like your mother, Nessie," she murmured gently, "Stubborn as a mule. Unfortunately, your father is just as obstinate. This pregnancy is proving to be just as difficult as your mother's was. Renesme, if only you knew how remarkable you are." I blushed, pulling my hand away and looking down at my lap. Esme threw compliments out there to everybody, and they were always heartfelt, but unfortunately I was the only one in the family who was vulnerable to blushing.

"Maybe I should eat human food," I decided, not capable of disappointing Esme, "For the baby." Esme smiled and patted my cheek.

"That's my girl," she said, appeased, and rose to grab my eggs. I ate them ravenously, though normally I despised the taste of _that _type of food. But this was different... I could actually appreciate the crisp, salty taste of the egg. This thought overjoyed me.

"Esme, I don't think Irina likes blood!" I blurted out, covering my mouth as I scoffed down a whole scrambled egg. Esme turned towards me, her face jubilant.

"Oh, Nessie, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed, as Jasper and Alice came running into the room. Alice perched herself onto the edge of the table, studying my outfit. Today I was wearing a long turquoise tunic and black leggings with black gladiator sandals; I was almost as into fashion as Alice was.

My tiny aunt, who was really closer to a sister, gave me an approving look before scrunching her nose at my breakfast.

"I hear Irina Hayden Whitney Black likes eggs," she mentioned, not bothering to hide the disgust in her voice. Jasper wound his arm around his wife's waist, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

"That will make everything a lot easier," he consoled her, rational as always. I stood up, handing Esme my empty plate.

"Where did you get 'Hayden Whitney', Alice?" I demanded, trying to remember if the names had ever crossed my mind. Whenever I had thought of middle names, I had imagined Edward or Isabella, after my parents. Alice winked at me.

"That's the only name that I've ever seen you naming her," she explained light-heartedly, "But I think I know where you got it. Or at least where you _will _get it." I furrowed my brow in confusion; I was pretty sure that I didn't know anybody named Scarlet.

"Alice, tell me!" I insisted. Though I always thought that I was more like my father, I was very similar to my mother when it came to surprises. Alice grinned, glancing up at Jasper. She seemed to be contemplating whether or not she should tell me.

"Well..." she began, biting her lower lip, "I suppose you won't think of it if I don't tell you." I nodded, prodding her on. She sighed in defeat, though she didn't seem that hesitant to tell me. On the contrary, she seemed to be bursting with excitement.

"Well, it's a darling idea, actually," she thought out loud, before turning to me and patting my hand, "I wouldn't have thought that you were capable of something like that." When she saw my hurt look, she laughed and added, "Just because you're so like your father. He'd be thinking of middle names like 'Rose' and 'Anne'. Nice and simple. I would have thought that you would go for the same type of thing." I blinked, completely bemused.

"Well?" I demanded, "Where did I get 'Hayden Whitney'?" Alice giggled, pointing at herself and Jasper.

"You got it from Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and I," she said simply. I shook my head, thoroughly frustrated with her.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I snapped, "For somebody so small you are extremely irritating." Alice let out a high laugh.

"I've heard that before," she replied, still her cheery self, "I always thought you were so smart, Ness. 'Hayden' comes from Hale and Brandon, the human last names of Rosalie and I before we were bitten. And 'Whitney' comes from Whitlock and McCarty, the last names of Jasper and Emmett." I ran this through in my head, suddenly warmed up to the idea. I had always thought that somebody should pay some sort of tribute to the human lives of my family.

"That's beautiful," I sighed, and Alice seemed overjoyed with my reaction, though she had clearly seen it coming.

"I'm glad that you like it," she said, "I tried to put 'Platt' and 'Swan' together but all that I got was 'Plan' and 'Swat', which I didn't think would fit little Irina nicely. But I don't think that a tribute to your mother is really necessary." I shook my head, massaging my temples.

"Jesus, Alice," I groaned, "Stop with the mind games." I stood up and walked out the door, listening to Alice's wind-chime giggle and Jasper's deep chuckle.


	8. Jacob's Story: The Birth

_Seven Months Later_

"Jacob," I heard her whisper. I wasn't sure whether or not I was awake or dreaming, so I merely turned my head slightly and met my wife's light brown eyes.

"Good morning," I muttered, not wanting to ruin the tranquil silence with my thunderous voice. Immediately, I knew that something was wrong. Nessie's eyes were watery and the corners of her mouth were turned up in a wary way.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, shooting upright. I found it odd that Nessie did not sit up as well, but I suspect that it is because of her very-pregnant state. _Pregnant state. _I ran over the dates in my mind, counting backwards.

"Oh God, Ness!" I blurted out, my heart racing. _Damn._ Why didn't I realize this quicker? Why didn't I read one of those self-help books on labor coaching? _You're such an asshole, Jacob Black_.

"Edward!" I called, my voice loud and wavering. I placed one of my hands behind Nessie's neck to elevate her head a bit. "Nessie, they're coming. Calm down- Edward will be here in a minute. And Carlisle and your mother. Just stay calm. It'll be okay- Would you like a drink? No, that was a stupid question. _Damn it_, Nessie." I clenched pieces of my dark hair in my hands, close to ripping them out. Ironically, I heard Nessie laugh quietly, the noise sending tremors down my spine.

"Jake, I'm calm!" she cried, "_You _need to stop freaking out!" I collapsed onto the bed next to her, trying to smile.

"You're calm?" I double-checked, as Edward came flying into the room, with Carlisle and Bella in his wake. I didn't even care that I was only wearing boxer shorts. All that mattered was Renesme and- and my unborn daughter. The word 'daughter' did not sound right; it only sounded perfect when Nessie said it.

"She's two contractions in," Carlisle explained, immediately taking over the role of Dr. Cullen, "She can't start pushing yet, but maybe you should get a wet rag, Bella." Bella flew by me and was back before the kitchen door shut behind her. Nessie let out a short moan but I could not hear what she said. I glanced at Edward for clarification, and he jerked his head towards her.

"She wants you," he snapped, frustrated with me.

"Of course she does," I muttered, grabbing Nessie's hand and kissing her forehead, "I suck at this, Nessie, I know. I'm so sorry." Renesme let out another hysteric laugh. At that moment, Alice came gliding into the room, her pixie-like face determined.

"It's not a party in here!" Edward barked, "Go wait with the rest of them, Alice!" Nessie shook her head fervently.

"No," she whispered, in a hoarse voice, "I want Alice to stay." Her voice cracked at the end, and I shuddered internally.

"We decided that Alice should be the godmother," I elaborated, and Alice let out a squeal of joy. I did my best not to recoil as she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

"I _knew _that you would say that!" she yelped, squeezing Edward's hand behind me. I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"Yes, it's really great and all," I snapped, "But I have a wife within minutes of giving birth!" Bella shook her head, momentarily distracted.

"You're doing great, Ness," she hissed, "It's over before you know it." Nessie squinted her eyes at my mother-in-law.

"You're lying," she murmured, "But keep doing it. It's working." Bella smiled, her brown eyes sparkling.

"Nessie, it's all worth it in the end," she added, "We both know that _that _is not a lie." She cast me a knowing look, but I only had eyes for Renesme. My wife had closed her eyes, and glistening beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. I rubbed my thumb in circular motions around her palm, trying to remember what it had been like last time... last time when Bella had been the one in labor.

Abruptly, Alice was frozen. Edward went rigid in response, his hand frozen on Bella's shoulder.

"What did she see?" I demanded, not looking away from Nessie's face. Neither of them answered, so I stood up so quickly that even I got dizzy. "Damn it, Edward, what did she see?" Edward glanced at Alice in horror, something disappearing in his strange-colored eyes.

"Carlisle," Alice whispered, her voice no louder than a heartbeat, "It's not going to happen." Carlisle froze, and Bella let out a dry sob.

"What the hell do you mean, 'It's not going to happen'?" Nessie shrieked, her face contorting in pain. Alice glanced at Edward for back up, and my father-in-law placed his hands in his pockets and stared up at the ceiling for one tenth of a second.

"Morphine, Carlisle," he snapped. Carlisle had the IVs in his hands at once, his brow furrowed in determination.

"Edward, it's going to be a while," he said quietly, "She'll need more contractions. Go get Rosalie." Edward was out of the room before I could even register Carlisle's strange demand. Rosalie?

"Carlisle, what's going on?" I demanded. To my surprise, it was Alice who answered.

"I saw her not making it," Alice breathed, not loud enough for Nessie to hear. I froze, and the world stood still for an eternity.

"_Who_?" Bella hissed, and Alice inhaled sharply. My throat burned with dismay, and I could feel hot tears burning in my eye sockets. _No_, she couldn't.... It wasn't what I thought it was. Not my daughter.

"From what I saw," Alice began slowly, her voice wavering, "You'll have a beautiful daughter." I blinked in shock. That was not bad news.

"Then who's not making it...?" I breathed, and the answer hovered around me like a swarm of hornets. "Oh, God, no. God, no!" The tears fell, and somewhere in another world, Bella pulled me into her arms, trying to control me. I let my body tremble, and I could feel the floor shaking beneath me. But none of that mattered. The house could crumble down on top of us and destroy the world, but it wouldn't matter. Nothing could compare to this... It was like a fire flaming on my heart, turning into black smoke.

I wasn't aware of Bella kissing my forehead, her body pulsating with tears of her own. I was not aware of Alice standing over a bewildered Nessie, screaming, "Push!" I was not aware of anything but the black dawn that was falling over me with the weight of a thousand skies... Somewhere, in another world, a baby girl cried.


	9. Jacob's Story: The Son

The first thing that I felt was a cold hand slapping my cheek. It stung, but the pain was exhilarating. The next thing that reached my subconscious mind was screaming. They were calling my name in their angelic voices, yelling desperately. They were shouting another name as well, and if my own name wasn't enough to bring me out of my reverie, than Nessie's certainly was.

"Jacob, you have to be strong!" Bella wailed into my ear, and my eyes flew open. I was lying on the hard wood floor. How long had I been out? Had I missed seconds, hours? "You have to pull through for Nessie." I jumped up, grabbing onto the window sill for support.

"Nessie," I muttered. Bella sighed heavily, jerking her head to the bed.

"Yes, Jake, _Nessie_," she hissed, "She needs you."

"She's alive," I stated monotonously. The thought reawakened my heart, sending it into a fluttering cadence. Was it possible to be reawakened from the dead? Of course. In my world, anything was possible.

"Of course she's alive," Bella snapped hysterically, "She's alive, barely so. You've got to pull yourself together now, because she's lost a lot of blood." The word 'blood' sent chills up my spine as I looked around frantically. Alice had left, and the tendons in Bella's neck were protruding an inch out.

"Bells, I've got it," I muttered, "You have to go." Bella exhaled deeply, cast me a gratified look and flew from the room in a flash of brown. Carlisle and Edward were working fervently over Nessie, not acknowledging my presence.

"What can I do?" I demanded softly, staring in horror at Nessie's pale arm hanging limply over the edge of the bed.

"Hold her hand," Edward barked, and I obeyed at once. I recoiled slightly at her icy touch, but then I held on tighter.

"Where is our daughter?" I inquired, squeezing onto Nessie's hand tighter.

"She's with Bella, Alice, Rose and Esme," Carlisle explained, not looking at me as he slid an IV into Nessie's wrist. I looked away, stifling a gasp.

"She's healthy," Edward muttered, "So is he." I froze. _He_?

"What the hell do you mean?" I snapped, sure that he was joking. Edward, despite his current task of dabbing at Nessie's wounds with bandages, smirked.

"Naturally, Alice, Carlisle and I knew," he explained, "We thought we'd surprise you. She had twins." Somewhere in the back corner of my mind, there was joy. But the rest of my mind, the dominant part, was pissed.

"You thought that you'd surprise me?" I repeated, unwilling to believe it. "Edward Cullen, you do not _surprise _the _father_ with another _child_." Edward grinned, not catching on with my anger. I couldn't restrain myself; I let out a livid snarl.

"You have a _son_, Jake," Edward argued, "You have someone that you can play baseball with. Someone that you can teach to motorcycle."  
And then Nessie spoke. Her voice was feeble and weak, but it was very much there.

"You would never let your grandson on a motorcycle," she pointed out quietly. Carlisle stopped working for a second, and Edward and I froze in place. After a couple of seconds of silence, Edward shrugged and let out a chuckle.

"She's right," he snorted. I laughed with him, knowing very well that my son would love to ride motorcycles whether his 17-year-old grandfather permitted it or not.

"Jake, get me a wet cloth," Carlisle muttered, immediately adding stress to the atmosphere. I already had it in my hand.

"Is she going to be okay?" I growled, suddenly tense with fear. The question was directed to Carlisle, but it was Nessie who answered.

"Of course I'm going to be okay," she whispered, tugging pathetically on my arm. I leaned down to her eye level, and she smiled softly at me, "I wouldn't leave you to raise our twins all alone." My heart fluttered as her eyes sparkled, and I kissed her forehead. Her eyes closed at my touch.

"I don't think that our daughter looks like an 'Irina' anymore, Jake," she sighed, rolling over feebly onto her back. I blinked in shock. Baby names had never been my forte, but the name _Irina _had been set in stone for seven months now.

"No?" I replied apprehensively, "What do you think then?" Nessie bit her bottom lip.

"I was thinking Hayden," she explained, "I know that we had settled for that as a middle name, but you should have seen the look in our daughter's eyes when she looked at me for the first time. She looks like you, Jake. Only she's a Cullen so she's-"

"Pale," I finished for her. Nessie let out a short laugh. "Tell me more about her. About _them_." Nessie grinned at me, gazing down at our entwined hands.

"They're beautiful," she sighed, "Hayden Irina Black has your color hair, and light green eyes. Pale as a sheet, too."

"The eyes?" I asked, bewildered. Nessie glanced up at Edward.

"Nobody's human life ever completely disappears," she explained, staring up at the ceiling, "They have my mother's face, though. And our son, he's long and gangly like his father." She smiled up at me, making my heart skip a beat. "He has the green eyes as well." Suddenly, a question dawned down on me.

"Nessie- _what _are they?" I asked abruptly, "Shape-shifters? Vampires? _Your _kind?" Nessie giggled as I said 'your kind', but she sighed and turned towards me.

"They're stronger than I am," she clarified, "Carlisle reckons that they will be faster as well. From what I could tell when I was pregnant, they are partial to human food. And, yes, they are _me_, essentially. They will stop aging when they are fully grown." I let out a sigh of relief. Was it possible for things to turn out this perfectly?  
"Ness, you have no idea," I muttered, forgetting about Edward and Carlisle's presence in the room, "When Alice told us what she had seen- damn it, Ness, I didn't know what to do. I didn't think that I could go on." Nessie, with more vigor every second, placed her index finger over my mouth.

"You know Alice," she whispered, "The future never stays the same."


	10. The End

"This one has your sense of humor, Jacob," Rosalie snapped, dabbing a wet towel on a small splatter of spit-up on her top, "He ruined my shirt." I laughed quietly, closing my eyes as Jacob tenderly slid his arm around my shoulder.

"It's okay," Jake muttered, barely paying attention to my aunt, "You never would have worn it again anyways." Rosalie handed me the baby boy, who glanced up at me with his startling emerald eyes.

"Damn right, I wouldn't, dog," she scoffed, giving Jake an obvious once-over, "You've been wearing that outfit for 73 hours, as if you don't already smell bad enough." Jake smirked, playing with our son's hand in his own.

"Do you know how to drown a blonde, Rosalie?" Jacob asked slyly.

"Let me guess- do you glue a mirror to the bottom of a pool?" Rosalie retorted, "Real smooth _Fido, _but you told me that 19 years ago on September 10th." Jake furrowed his brow, trying to remember.  
"We can't all have freakish leech memories," he muttered after a couple of seconds, defeated. I sighed and rested my nose on my son's forehead, ignoring the endless bickering of my husband and aunt.

Suddenly, Alice was at the foot of the bed, holding a complex camera in her hands. If I hadn't known how strong Alice was, I would have doubted her ability to hold it.

"Jesus, Alice," I moaned, covering my face stubbornly, "I look disgusting."

"No you don't," Jacob muttered, kissing my forehead. Alice shook her head firmly.

"You're _supposed _to look disgusting," she pointed out, "You just gave birth to twins! Just smile for me; I need to take your first family picture." Jake let out a groan, but he smiled patronizingly as he accepted Hayden from Esme.

"Smile, little E.J.!" Alice cooed, and I froze.

"_E.J.?_" I inquired. Alice snapped a picture, ignoring my dropped jaw and surprised eyes. Had Alice taken it upon herself to name my children?

"That's what I saw, and we can't just keep calling him _'he'_,now can we?" Alice insisted, "But feel free to change it. I'm not the mother." There was sadness in her voice as she said 'mother', and I immediately became enveloped with guilt. It just wasn't _fair _that Alice, Rosalie and Esme, who would make wonderful mothers, were unable to have children. How selfish was I, blessed with two children while they could have none?

"If you were a boy, I would have named you E.J., Ness," Bella added, and Jake turned to me.

"I like it," he agreed, "But it's up to you." I laughed shakily and patted my son's cheek. _E.J._ It worked. _Hayden and E.J._ I sighed in contentment and nodded fervently.

"Hayden Irina Whitney Black and E.J. James Black?" I announced tentatively. The reaction in the small room caught me off guard. Edward let out an involuntary snarl, and Alice clutched the window sill with emotion, sending wood dust to the floor.

"What?" I demanded, rethinking what I had said, "I thought you liked Hayden and E.J.?" Everybody simply gaped at me, expect for Bella who nodded ardently.

"Of course," she agreed, "They're both beautiful names. But why _James_?" I grimaced, completely bemused. It was a nice, old-fashioned middle name. I hadn't thought that such a cliché middle name could arouse such emotion from my family.

"It's simple and traditional," I explained, "Is there something wrong with it?" Alice let out a small laugh, but there was no amusement in her eyes.

"Of course not," she said, "You just caught me off guard." I blinked, feigning shock.

"Alice, nobody catches _you _off guard," I mocked, and Alice shook her head, closing her eyes.

"Only you and your mother," she mumbled, side-tracked, "I thought I would be able to understand the way that her mind works once she was one of us but... for once in my existence, I remain totally obsolete." I laughed.

"Most people feel like that all of the time, Alice," I reminded her. Alice wrinkled her nose, shuddering.

"I don't know how you handle it," she sighed sadly. I shrugged.

"We get baby names from baby-naming books," I explained, "And not from our all-seeing aunts. But that brings us back to E.J.'s middle name. Maybe 'James' isn't right after all." The relief in the room was evident.

"You could always do what your mother did," Emmett pointed out, a bright twinkle in his topaz eyes, "You can name her Rosalett Jaspice, and you can name little E.J. here Jaspett Bedward." My mother laughed, taking a seat on the bed frame.

"No grandson of mine will be named 'Bedward'," she clarified, patting E.J.'s chubby leg. Emmett shrugged.

"Well, then why not just E.J. Emmett Black?" he asked, flexing his muscles, "The kid will have a tough time living up to these guns but..." Rosalie giggled, kissing my son on the forehead.

"I think that E.J. Charlie Black is cute," she muttered quietly. I glanced at my mother, instantly worried that Rose's comment would upset her. I did not know much about my grandfather except for the few memories that I had of him. He had taken his own life in 2010, when I was only three years old and the size of a 12-year-old. It had been August, and Carlisle had decided that we would have to start over somewhere else. As I recall, Bella had not wanted to leave, but she was passing for 21 and Carlisle was playing the part of a 36-year-old. We had spent a decade in Wales, and we had only moved back to Forks four years ago. It had saddened my mother greatly whenever anybody mentioned Charlie, but Rosalie's suggestion of the name sparked quite the opposite reaction in my mother today.

"That's brilliant," Bella replied instantly, running her hand through her rich brown hair and turning to me, "Oh, Nessie, would you? For me?" I didn't think twice about it.

"Of course," I confirmed, completely astonished that my mother would even ask, "I love it." Jacob shifted around on the bed and kissed me gently, but enthusiastically enough to get my pulse racing. I barely noticed the flash of Alice's camera.

"Hayden Irina Whitney and E.J. Charlie Black," I murmured, as Jake pulled away. It was settled. In a tight cluster on the bed, I sat with my new family. For the first time in my life, everything had fallen into place.

There were beams of late-afternoon sun coming through the window and, somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled. The sun vanished beneath the horizon and twilight fell once more.

_The End_


	11. Author's Note

**Author's Note: **

**Sorry to all of the people who thought that this story was being continued. Let me clarify: IT ISN'T. Okay, so I'm telling you now that this is only an author's note, so please don't review angrily claiming that I tricked you. You may leave now if you're not interested.**

**With that aside, I just needed a place to post some news where I'm sure people will read it. This author's note is in response to the 4 PMs that I've received from anonymous authors asking that I continue a) this story, or b) write a new multi-chaptered fluff. I'm glad that you guys liked Brown-Eyed Girl, but that was really just a one-time thing. I'm really more of a one-shot person. **

**I know, I know- this seems kind of lame. I know what you're thinking. **_**"So she brought us all here to beg for reviews?" **_**That's not true… Well, it's not **_**completely**_** true. I'm going to make recommendations because I am honestly curious to see what you guys think of some of my less popular stories. There really is no point of posting stories if it's going to be **_**1,000 hits, 2 reviews.**_

__**So here is my request:**

**Read one of the following:**

**A Walk on the Beach**

**My Paper Heart**

**I'd Rather Be With You**

**Hope Dies Last**

**Daughters**

**Here Without You**

**Leave a well-rounded review.**

**Thanks in advance to anybody who helps me out! **

**Happy reading,**

**SteneMichele**


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